Order-tablet



(No Model.) 7

11-11. ROBERTS.

ORDER TABLET.

, No 536,395. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

DU'GALD HARVEY ROBERTS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ORDER-TABLET.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 536,395, dated March 26, 1895.

"Application filed November 11, 1 892. Serial No. 451,660. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DUGALD HARVEY Ron- ERTS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Order-Tablets; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to order tablets, and more particularly to. that class which are adapted to be used in hotels and restaurants upon the dining table by the guest in indicate ign his order for meals; and it consists more particularly in combining within one framework, which may be made ornamental, and which is inscribed with the n umber of the table and number of the seat or plate, a bill of fare, removable therefrom, and means for indicating, when the bill of fare is in place, the particular items upon the bill of fare which the guest desires, said indication being adapted to be erased and the tablet used by successive.

guests.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents my improved tablet; Fig. 2, a modification thereof, and Fig. 3 afurther modification with the parts partially in position, showing the mode of their arrangement and detachability.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 more particularly represents a tablet with the bill of fare arranged in two columns, printed upon cardboard and marked A. The corresponding tablets in Figs. 2 and 3 are marked A and A B, B, B in the drawings represent the frame or case within which the bill of fare is placed.

' O and 0 represent a glass plate inserted above the bill of fare and covering it. Upon the edges of 0, there is a ground glass surface adapted to be marked upon by the lead pencil E, carried with the tablet in a holder E.

In Fig. 2, the bill of fare is not entirely covered by a glass, the edge of the bill of fare being covered by the ground glass slip 0 it being obvious that the principal use of the (Fig. 3 showing them as being partially withdrawn) from the frame.

The frame itself is preferably labeled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 at F, F, with the number of the table and the number of the plate upon the table, it being considered preferable to number the plates .on each table, so that each tablet shall correspond with the number of the plate. This much facilitates the use of the device.

The manner of use is as follows: The bill of fare for'the date that may be desired is slipped into the frame underneath the glass plate or indicating device. The pencil being in position, the whole is stationed upon the table and plate for which it is numbered and to which it belongs. cil indicates upon the vmargin or margins the items of the'order which he desires, by any appropriate indicating marks, as shown at c, c, in Fig. 1. The waiter thereupon collects the tablets for the respective tables, and returns them with the respective orders. After the acceptance of the order, he erases the order marks from the margins by any appropriate means, and the order tablet is ready for the order of the next guest.

In case a change in the'bill of fare from day to day is required, all that is necessary is to withdraw-the printed bill of fare from the frames, and insert another one in its place.

It is obvious that the bill of fare may also be changed to suit the difierent meals of the day, without in any way interfering with the practical operation of the tablet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In an order tablet, the combination of a The guest with the pen- I frame, a bill of fare held therein, and a glass In testimony whereof I sign this specifioa plate inserted in said frame over said bill of tion in the presence of two witnesses.

fare and provided with a transparent body T portion and a ground glass margin adapted to DUGALD HARVEX ROBERTS 5 receive indicating marks corresponding with lVitnesses:

items upon the bill of fare, substantially as CHARLES F. BARTON,

described. MARION A. REEVE. 

